USB-201 - Measurement Computing

[Eric1977]

Has anyone done any data qcquisition with the USB-201 from Measurment Computing? I'd like to know what the pros and cons are to this. I am looking at this from a cost prospective.

http://www.mccdaq.com/usb-data-acquisition/USB-201.aspx

Thanks,

Eric

[Blokk]

Hello,

I have never used this DAQ device, but its pricing looks very similar to the NI USB-6008 and 6009 low cost devices. You can have a look at their spec sheets to decide which is better for your application.

IMHO, I would go with the NI products, their price is just slightly higher, but you have more flexibility. For example, the USB-201 device's spec sheet states that you have a fixed AI range +-10 Volts (spec sheet). If you want to measure below 1V range, the 12 bit resolution can be problematic, depending on your applications and requirements.

The USB-6008 and 6009 has a minimum input range of 1 Volts, with 12 bit and 14 bits resolution, respectively (and there are 8 different settable voltage ranges). The only thing the USB-201 is better in, the 100 kHz sampling rate, compared to the USB-6008 (10 kHz) and 6009 (48 kHz), as I see...

So if you are happy with the 12 bits AI with fixed 10 Volts range, at 100 kHz sampling, buy the USB-201. If you need more flexibility with ranges, and 14 bits AI inputs, buy the NI USB-6009.

[Eric1977]

Thanks for the reply.

I seen the two NI products you mentioned. All I am after is getting a distance from these two distance sensors via a voltage reading. I think it will be a good learning expereince for me since this would be the 1st time doing some sort of data aquisition other than direct RS-232 to devices which I am used to.

Eric

[Blokk]

Hmm, the sensors' output range is 10 Volts, so this fits to the mentioned USB-201 DAQ device. If I do not miscalculate, you have a 20 Volts span input (+-10 Volts) with 12 bits, it means you get a 20/4096=0.0048 Volts resolution.

If I interpret the sensor's datasheet properly, it shows a 2 micrometer resolution. With a maximum 10 Volts output at the max distance 120 mm, I think it gives about 1.6E-4 Volts step change in the output signal (assuming perfect linearity, which is not the case). So using the USB-201, you can only get about 1 order of magnitude worse resolution. So your distance resolution will be about 0.05 mm, 50 micrometer. If this value is OK for you, I think the USB-201 DAQ is a good choice.

However I am not sure if my above estimation is correct or not (I never worked with such configurations), maybe someone with more experience will post here and tells us 🙂